An Animal Ambulance For Your Pet

Your pet is hurting, panicking, or too big to lift, and suddenly the hardest part isn’t choosing a vet, it’s getting there safely. We sit down with Cheryl Brady, founder of Vet Care Express Animal Ambulance, to talk about what a real animal ambulance looks like and why pet emergency transport can change the outcome for both pets and pet parents in Sarasota and Manatee.

Cheryl breaks down how her team is trained and equipped to handle stressful situations, from painful injuries to pets that may bite out of fear. She also shares the moment that pushed her to build the service after a friend's dog was hit by a car, plus what she discovered when she researched the idea and realized this “obvious” resource barely existed. Since 2010, Vet Care Express has helped more than 19,000 pets reach the veterinary ER, specialty care, or the right next step without adding chaos to an already scary day.

We also get practical about the calls people don’t expect: helping crate and transport cats, assisting pet owners who can’t safely drive while comforting an anxious animal, supporting families when a pet passes away at home, and coordinating with vets and crematoriums. Cheryl clears up a big misconception too, many people assume an animal ambulance must cost thousands, but her mission is to keep the service affordable so money doesn’t delay care. She even teaches pet CPR, because preparation is part of loving your animal well.

If you’ve ever wondered what to do when you can’t get your pet to the vet, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share with a fellow pet owner, and leave a review so more families know help exists when it matters most.

Transcript

Welcome And Guest Introduction

SPEAKER_01 0:13

Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast Live. Are you in need of an animal ambulance? One might be closer than you think. Today I have the pleasure of introducing your good neighbor, Cheryl Brady with Vet Care Express Animal Ambulance. How are you?

SPEAKER_02 0:28

I'm great. Thank you so much for having me.

SPEAKER_01 0:31

Oh, yeah. Yeah, we're excited to hear about you and your business and how this all started. So can you tell us a little bit about your company?

What An Animal Ambulance Does

SPEAKER_02 0:40

Yeah, uh, Vet Care Express Animal Ambulance, I describe it to people we're just like a human ambulance. So we're trained, equipped, and experienced for any type of pet emergency. So we've been doing this in Manatee, Sarasota since 2010. And in that time, we've been able to help over 19,000 pets and their pet families. So, you know, when people need help, uh, you know, we're there to be able to help them get the veterinary care that they need.

SPEAKER_01 1:10

Oh my gosh, that's amazing. I've not heard of a company that does this, so that's really exciting.

SPEAKER_02 1:16

Yeah, we love what we do. I get to say I love what we do every single day.

SPEAKER_01 1:20

Yeah. So how did you get into this?

The Idea That Became A Service

SPEAKER_02 1:24

Well, I was a pre-vet student 45 years ago back in college, and I'd actually I'd had the idea, it made so much sense to me back then, but back then it didn't seem to be, it got a good grade, you know, the paper got a good grade, but it didn't seem to be a viable, you know, a viable um industry in the pet industry at that time because it wasn't what it is today. Today we have so many specialists and and cancer specialists and all types of uh resources for our pet veterinary care. So back in um 2008, I was in corporate America, had a you know, had a great job, I was very successful, but I just didn't feel like I was in the right place, you know. So started started praying and asking for guidance and um even retelling the story, I I messed up again because it it it really was an epiphany moment for me. Um a friend had hit a dog and I was I was in my corporate office doing my regular thing, and um, you know, I ran to help her. And right there and then I'm like, where would I be able to take the dog? How would I have handled it properly? Now animal services had already gotten there by the time I was there, but all these thoughts, you know, what where's the nearest fit? How could I have handled that dog properly? And literally, light bulbs went off, started crying, the whole thing. So I just knew right, and then you know, 10 minutes later, the thought comes in, you wrote a paper about this 40 years ago, you big dummy. You know, so um, yeah, I so I just started researching. I was shocked. I I researched and I said, This this is what I'm meant to do, and it didn't exist, you know. So I looked, I'm like, you've got to be kidding, because ever since I've started it, I've had people from all over saying it makes so much sense. We need this, you know. Um, and again, just in our small area, 19,000 pets that we've been able to help.

Beyond Emergencies Cats And Aftercare

SPEAKER_02 3:30

And it's it's not just it's not just emergencies. People think big dogs are it's it's all over the spectrum. You know, we have we have uh pet parents that can't get their pet to the care they need because they have health issues, you know, they can't handle it. Um, the pet may be too large, or the pet may, you know, it's it's in pain, so it may bite. Um, you know, we capture a lot of cats, a lot of cats we capture for people, and we either capture, crate them, and take them to the vet, or sometimes we'll just crate them for an owner. They're able to drive and and handle a carrier, but they just need that amount of help. So we we provide that type of help all across the spectrum. We have we have folks whose pets may pass away at home. I mean, what are you gonna do? Who's gonna help you? So we do that as well. You know, we work with the crematoriums, we work with all the veterinarians, all the crematoriums, um, you know, to be able to provide people that resource to get their pet help. All pet owners want to do is give their pet the very best that they can. And and we're part, um, you know, not we're not vets, we're not here to replace vets, but we're part of that, uh, of the industry to be able to provide that help.

SPEAKER_01 4:49

Wow. And you're you're saying all these services that you offer, and I am like, oh my gosh, there's you're filling a gap, you know.

SPEAKER_02 4:58

That's yeah, yeah. It you know, it's funny because I'll have friends that um have known what I do for years and years and years, but until I had one friend, you know, back in the early days, and she her dog all of a sudden had a she had a neurological reaction to medicine, and she just, you know, she was a mess. She was so upset, didn't realize, and and at first, and she knows what I do, you know, but at first didn't really think of of calling us for that because um, you know, they it we're not used to having it. People aren't used to having that service for their pets. So, you know, once you call them, she goes, Oh my gosh, this is exactly what you do. So again, we're we're trained, equipped. Um, you know, we have the proper uh equipment and experience. So with 19,000 pets, we've experienced just about everything.

SPEAKER_01 5:53

Okay.

The Biggest Cost Misconception

SPEAKER_01 5:54

Well, what are some myths and misconceptions in your industry?

SPEAKER_02 5:58

I think the biggest one, uh, and again, I just hear this secondhand and usually after the fact, but I think people think that we're gonna cost thousands and thousands of dollars. You know, people think we're gonna be priced like human ambulances, and and we actually price um we're very, very affordable because I I do not want one of my missions was I don't want people not being able to use our service that they need because of a money problem. You know, I'd I would rather get the pet the help that they need, and we can worry about any finances later. So we're we're not nearly as expensive as people perceive us to be because we're called an animal ambulance.

SPEAKER_01 6:41

Okay.

Who Calls And How They Find Her

SPEAKER_01 6:42

And what uh, well, we know marketing is a heart of every business. Who are your target customers and how do you attract them?

SPEAKER_02 6:51

Actually, you know, any pet owner, because you just never know um when you're you're gonna need help. I mean, certainly any large dog owner, uh, any elderly owner, uh, but there's there's all kinds of times we'll get um, you know, we'll get uh calls from somebody who I had a woman who was college age and had taken her dog home. It had had surgery a couple days previous, but now it wasn't acting right. And and she was so upset, and so she didn't know what to do. She was just so upset that it wasn't acting right that you know she couldn't drive like that and shouldn't drive like that. And you can't both drive and comfort your pet. So again, that's you know, so it's really any pet all pet owners should know that we're at least out here because if they don't need us now, they may need us in the future, or you know, one of their friends or or loved ones may need us.

SPEAKER_01 7:51

Yeah, it's it's like a company you want to have as an emergency, always just just there that you know.

SPEAKER_02 7:58

Yeah, we have a lot of people. I get a lot of calls because people have us uh in their phone under animal ambulance that they know they can call us right away. Um you know, so it's just just to know that we're here and and our main stream of um of market, it really is through word of mouth.

SPEAKER_01 8:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 8:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 8:20

Okay.

Pet CPR Training And Staying Hands On

SPEAKER_01 8:21

Um, and then have you ever thought about having your own podcast?

SPEAKER_02 8:26

I have not. But I mean it's it has crossed my mind. I don't know how they work. I haven't, you know, um, I love what I do so much that I kind of uh, you know, I should probably do more of the expansion and and things like that. But uh I love being able every time I get a call, I love being able to go out and help somebody with their pet. So, you know, I I if you ask for weakness, you know how in every interview they ask what's your weakness, that would be my weaknesses. I love being able to physically go out and help with the pet, you know, so that I'm not looking at other things like podcasts or um uh, you know, what we can offer. I also teach pet CPR. Um, we teach, I've taught hundreds of people pet CPR. Um, so you know, any way we can help our pet community, because you know how blessed we are in Sarasota, you know, with our pet community.

SPEAKER_01 9:22

Oh, that's awesome. Um, Cheryl, can you please tell our listeners one thing they should remember about vet care express animal ambulance?

How To Reach Vet Care Express

SPEAKER_02 9:31

Uh the main thing I want them to remember is we're here, you know, we're here to help. Um, it's not only emergency, and we know who is where, when. We know all the resources. We work with all of veterinary hospitals, all the veterinary ERs, specialties, surgeons, biologists. Um, so if you if you have a question, you're just not quite sure, you know, where to turn or who can answer your question, um, you know, we're here. That's what we're here for to help.

SPEAKER_01 10:02

Okay. And how can our listeners learn more about vet care express animal ambulance?

SPEAKER_02 10:08

Um, if you just Google, if you can't remember vet care express animal ambulance, if you just Google Animal Ambulance, we're the first one that'll that'll come up. Um, I can give the phone number here. You want me to give the phone number here? Sure. Yeah, it's 941-592-5131. 941-592-5131. And uh that it barks right to my phone. Um, believe me, it wakes me up in the middle of the night. Uh, but and if if for some reason we're on another call with a pet, just leave a leave a message. We answer, we'll get right back to you. Um, you know, but our website and we're on Facebook, lots of success stories on Facebook. So um, but give a call anytime if you if you um need a resource and you're not quite sure where to turn.

SPEAKER_01 11:01

Okay, well, Gerald, I really appreciate you being on the show, and I wish you and your company the best moving forward.

SPEAKER_02 11:09

Again, thank you so much for having us, Virginia. I appreciate it.

Closing And Nominate A Business

SPEAKER_00 11:18

Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. Nominate your favorite local business to be featured on the show. Go to DMScore.com.